Healing Touch
by wormmm
Summary: ONESHOT Something causes Shizune to act differently as she cares for her latest patient. Is it love? Kakashi X Shizune


**Healing Touch**

Shizune's hands flickered green as she attempted to concentrate all of her chakra in her fingertips.

_I have to be efficient. If I extract less than 95 of the poison, there is a strong possibility that Kakashi-san's body will still fail_, Shizune's voice rang through her mind. The fact that the Godaime Hokage was hovering over her, watching her every motion, added to the pressure exponentially.

"Shizune, poison extraction is a race against time…don't you remember what I taught you about this art?" the Hokage's voice berated.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama" Shizune muttered pathetically. She tried to concentrate her chakra in her hands again, but only a faint glow appeared in her hands. She struck the operating table with a closed fist in frustration, her chest heaving.

_Why…why is this happening to me? I've always known that I excel in chakra control...even the great Tsunade-sama recognized this quality within me. I've done poison extraction countless times before…how is this time any different?_

Shizune wiped the sweat that had collected on her forehead. "Tsunade-sama, do you mind giving me some room? I feel that I could concentrate on the technique if you weren't here."

Tsunade eyed her older apprentice intently, "No, Shizune. If it ever came to war, you're going to have to perform hundreds of different medical jutsu in front of crowds of strangers at rapid speed. If you can't do it in front of your sensei, you obviously need more training…"

Shizune closed her eye and cringed as Tsunade's scathing comments cut deep. "You're right, Tsunade-sama. I know I can do this." She turned her attention back to the operating table…back to Kakashi-san.

Kakashi-san's lay on the operating table, as if he were asleep. His long, silver hair seemed to be more frazzled than usual, no doubt a testament to the difficulty of his last mission. Shizune's eyes traveled down to the long scar that covered his left eye, usually hidden by his forehead protector. The mask that covered the bottom half of his face ended at his neck. Kakashi-san's chest heaved up and down as air made its way into his lungs. She had taken care of most of the minor cuts and bruises that covered his torso. Finally, she focused on his abdomen, and the sizable cut that had been made in his lower right side.

_All right…let's go._

Shizune focused her chakra in her hands once again. There was more faint flickering, until finally, a steady flow of green emerged. "All right, I'm ready Tsunade-sama." she said faintly.

"Try to get as much of the poison as possible." Tsunade-sama's voice called back.

Shizune placed both of her hands over Kakashi-san's wound. She then closed her eyes as she began to focus her mind on his body. Her hands traveled up and down over his body, trying to sense the consistency of his blood. As soon as she felt an anomaly in the consistency, she isolated and gathered it under her palm and allowed the poison to travel in Kakashi-san's bloodstream, forcing the globule to follow her hand as her hands moved up and down his body.

"Remember, don't—" Tsunade-sama began.

"I know, 'Don't move to close to the patient's heart if you have even the smallest amount of poison," Shizune repeated robotically with strained breath. A grin emerged on Tsunade's lips.

For good measure, Shizune ran her chakra-filled hands throughout Kakashi-san's body, trying to collect any remnants of poison. After this final check, she brought both of her hands back to the entry wound, and, in one smooth motion of her hands, the black poison ejected from the cut and hovered in between Shizune's green hands. There were three sizable globules of black fluid, and a random smattering of smaller spheres in the air.

"Very good. Now synthesize and administer the antidote. I'll go check on Sakura's progress with her revival training." Shizune heard Tsunade-sama's footsteps become fainter and fainter, until the door behind her slammed shut.

She moved her hands over a bowl next to the operating table, and allowed the poison to drop into it. Freeing the confined chakra, the glow of her hands receded until Shizune saw her own, pale tone.

Taking a bandage, she covered up the poison's entryway in Kakashi-san's abdomen. She eyed his bandage-covered torso up and down again. A faint smile crept upon her face before she turned her attention over to the bowl of poison and to the work at hand.

"Now…let's see what you are made of…"

Kakashi opened his right eye lazily. A blinding light was hovering over him as he lay on the unfamiliar bed.

_Where am I? Am I captured?_

Suddenly, he heard humming coming from his left side. Quickly sitting up and opening his Sharingan, he stared at the figure next to him. The person, dressed in nondescript black robes was several feet away and hunched over a small table, occupied with something in their hands. Hearing him, the figure turned around.

"Oh…it is only you, Shizune…" Kakashi smiled under his mask as he closed his Sharingan eye. "What a relief…do you know what happened?"

Shizune flashed a smile back. "Oh Kakashi-san, thank goodness you're awake. Tsunade-sama has been saying that she needs all of the Konoha Jonin to go on A and S-rank missions as soon as possible…"

"Well…a Hokage's order is a Hokage's order…" Kakashi smoothly replied, as he edged his way to the edge of the bed. However, a sharp pain shot up and down his left side. He grunted and quickly held his side. It felt as if ice picks were penetrating the side of his torso.

"Kakashi-san! It is probably a good idea for you not to move as little as possible for a couple of days. The shinobi of the Mist rarely use poisonous attacks, but when they do, they mean it. Gai-san said that the poison had been in you for about half a day before he brought you back here for treatment." Shizune explained.

"Ah…yes…the Mist…I got careless…" Kakashi muttered.

"Shizune? Is Kakashi awake now? I have a stack full of missions for him!" Tsunade's loud voice was audible from the far hall.

Shizune quickly shuffled to her feet. "You shouldn't be doing missions so soon! Hold on…let me try something…" She exited the room and closed the door behind her before Tsunade reached the recovery room.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked, feigning innocence in her voice.

"Did Kakashi wake up? I thought I heard him…" Tsunade tried to make her way past Shizune and into the room.

Shizune quickly positioned herself between the door and her sensei. "No…I don't know what you are talking about. Kakashi-san hasn't woken up yet."

"Really? Then who were you talking to?"

"Talking to?"

"Yes."

"Nobody."

"Yes you were."

"No I wasn't."

"I distinctly heard voices coming from this room from the hallway."

"Oh…I might have been talking to myself. I like to recite the ingredients of the antidote I am making as I make it." Shizune lied.

"No…I distinctly heard two voices." Tsunade said dubiously.

"I assure you, Kakashi-san hasn't woken up…"

"Well…let's see…" Tsunade grabbed Shizune forcefully by the shoulders and moved her aside.

_Oh no! If Kakashi-san becomes active so soon, his recovery will be delayed tenfold!_

Shizune stared in horror as Tsunade-sama opened the door. She closed her eyes, expecting Tsunade-sama to turn to her and lecture her about lying and deceiving one's own sensei.

With her eyes still closed, it felt like her stomach was fell to the ground as she anticipated the tirade. One second passed. Two seconds passed. Five seconds passed. Ten seconds passed.

_This is the longest ten seconds in the history of ever…_

Shizune finally opened her eyes and saw Tsunade-sama staring at Kakashi-san, lying on the bed, seemingly asleep.

Shizune quickly chimed in. "See? I'll inform you once Kakashi-san wakes up. I don't expect that it will be for a couple of days, however. It was a pretty strong poison that traveled through his system for a rather long time." A new collection of sweat had emerged on her forehead.

Tsunade paused. "All right. But the second he wakes, bring him to me. I have some missions for him." She exited the doorway and walked down the hall, shaking her head.

Shizune entered the room and closed the door behind her. Kakashi quickly sat up again.

"That was close," Shizune grinned.

"Too close…thanks Shizune" Kakashi smiled back under his mask as he fumbled for his forehead protector and tied it over his Sharingan.

"Oh…don't thank me, Kakashi-san, you need your rest. Otherwise, you have less chance of completing your missions," Shizune walked over to the table she sat at.

"Shizune, can you do me a favor?" Kakashi's voice sounded tentative.

"Yes, Kakashi-san?"

"You saved my life, right?"  
"Uh…if you want to call it that, then yes, I suppose I did, Kakashi-san."

"OK…then please don't call me 'Kakashi-san' anymore," Kakashi's right eye conveyed a warmth and friendliness that Shizune had never felt before. Something stirred within her.

"Hehe…sure, Kakashi-kun," Shizune stammered.

"Better," Kakashi had a way of smiling, even though his mouth was hidden. It had to do with his eyes. She turned her attention back to the ingredients on the table.

Kakashi adjusted his forehead protector to a more comfortable position, and finally realized that his mask was on the entire time.

"I notice that you took off my vest and shirt, but why didn't you take off my mask?" Kakashi asked Shizune's backside.

"Oh…well…I know that you don't usually take it off for whatever reason, and I suppose…I wanted to respect that, even if you were my unconscious patient," Shizune chuckled.

Kakashi let out a small laugh. "Yeah…you're right…_nobody_ sees what is under this mask…"

After a few moments of silence, Shizune stood up from small table. "All right, I made some more antidote just in case, but I don't think you'll need it. I'll be back in a couple of hours to bring you some food," Shizune paused, "and if you hear anybody coming, take off your forehead protector and lie still. I'll knock three times before entering so you can let your guard down." She placed the bowl of antidote on the side table next to Kakashi's bed.

"Thank you, Shizune. You know…for everything." Kakashi said feebly.

"No need to thank, Kakashi-kun, it is my duty," Shizune said as she felt a chill travel down her spine as she stared into Kakashi's uncovered eye.

_I've…I've never felt this before…strange…_

Shizune quickly turned away from the bed and made her way to the door.

"Hey, Shizune?" Kakashi's voice rang.

"Yeah?" she turned around.

"You know how I said that nobody sees what is under this mask?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes…" she replied apprehensively.

"Well…" Kakashi quickly pulled down his mask and untied his forehead protector, revealing his entire face.

"Take this as my own personal thank you," Kakashi smiled, now with a smile that seemed so foreign to Shizune, yet, so familiar at the same time.

"Uh…yeah…uh…ok…your welcome…yeah…" Shizune stuttered. She quickly turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her.

She leaned against the opposite wall of the hallway, panting, her cheeks red in embarrassment.

_That Kakashi-kun…he really is a piece of work…only he could do something like that…and make me feel so…so…_

Shizune forgot to complete her thought as she thought of Kakashi's entire face.

_That Kakashi-kun…he is pretty handsome. Very handsome, indeed…_

_NOTE: Hi all. This is my first attempt at Naruto fanfiction. I hope you all like it. It just came to me one day, I don't really know where I got the inspiration. Well...feel free to leave a review. I'm pretty new to the whole fanfiction thing, so any suggestions/improvements are welcome. Thanks! _


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